LETTERS

No room for mistakes

It is time to admit that Thomas Jefferson was right. The president’s State of the Union message should be honest, straightforward, to the point and sent to Congress on a sheet of paper. TOM MURRAY Bella Vista

The punishment fits

Charles Nichols has the right to outrage about defacing and defaming Bibles, although it might be more accurate to say it happens “sometimes” rather than “constantly.”

However, his ire about the severe punishment for defacing a Torah might be less if he realized that a Torah is not a book, but a scroll, laboriously handwritten in ancient Hebrew script inscribed and made up of costly materials, representing thousands of dollars, aside from its religious value. If it had been the Gutenberg Bible, I’m sure the crime would have been similarly punished.

The vandalism is regrettable, but the punishment is for damaging valuable property.

ARTHUR LUCK MaumelleOn creating more jobs

Memories can be burdensome. I remember most Republicans running for state offices in 2010 claiming that they were running to create more jobs. Mark Darr ran on that platform. Darr also claimed he could stop Obamacare from being implemented in Arkansas.

I believe it’s very possible for the lieutenant governor to create jobs. Just look at Democratic Lt. Gov. Bill Halter’s Arkansas Scholarship Lottery program: several hundred good-paying jobs and thousands of students getting help for college tuition. No taxes increased.

However, after taking office, Arkansas Republicans immediately began a push for anti-abortion bills. After those passed, they introduced and passed a Voter ID bill which I believe is destined to cause more problems than it solves. Then the Republicans passed a hybrid form of Obamacare which the feds approved.

I can’t recall a single jobs bill introduced, nor any new programs to create jobs.

There was a hiring/job-creation bright spot. Lt. Gov. Mark Darr did hire more employees to staff the mostly useless office. So, by that alone, it seems he may be the only Republican elected who in fact did create jobs.

Too bad the former pizza man had to leave office because he couldn’t manage the dough.

LARRY WOODALL Springdale

Did not recognize him

What has happened to Mike Huckabee? His words have insulted millions of wives and mothers who practice birth control.

Is this about money? It seems he has turned into a Rush Limbaugh wannabe. In fact, I didn’t recognize him at first. His looks have changed some. Dress him in Rush’s clothes and let him repeat the words with that hateful look and he could almost pass for Rush.

Maybe he should come back home for a while and be the decent, caring person he used to be.

URBA REED Batesville

Highest expectations

Re John Brummett’s “The D.C. you want”: The U.S. now stands 12th in the world on the Index of Economic Freedom. I would be happy to explain what I want from the political representation in Washington. The first thing would be honesty from all. I don’t care what political party is in office as long as they are honest and truly represent the citizens in a proper and proficient manner. I expect any good idea from any side to be considered by all according to if it is best for the largest portion of the citizens.

I want all laws to be enforced. I believe anyone elected or appointed who lies to the people they are supposed to represent should be removed from office and face criminal charges. Whatever happened to honesty and ethics? I would like these people to be terminated immediately and not permitted to retire with benefits if they can’t do their job correctly, lie, or are incompetent or violate regulations.

It’s all right for anyone to say what they would like to do; however, when they say they are going to do something and don’t, I think it’s a lie. Remember “you can keep your insurance plan”? The present administration keeps adding to our debt. I expect more from the president and Congress than just falsehoods and spending on worthless projects. I expect Congress to create a bill that requires a balanced budget and stick to it. I expect everybody in the executive, judicial and legislative branches to not receive any pay any time the federal budget is exceeded.

Bottom line, I simply want and expect the U.S. government to do what it was formed to do and follow the Constitution.

ROBERT L. MAYNARD Hot Springs Village

Women overlooked

I think we women need a political party of our own.

I am a Republican woman and it seems the men in my party only look to me and other Republican women for campaign donations, volunteer work on campaigns and for the votes of elected women to gain leadership positions in Congress, such as speaker of the House or majority leader in the Senate. Thereafter, they ignore us for chair positions important to growth and influence. Finally, they are always too busy to attend to issues that are beneficial to women. Furthermore,they want to make decisions for us instead of with us.

Men of either party pay very little attention to issues that concern women. Men of the Democratic Party are busy making policies to help us terminate our pregnancies if we choose to do so, while men of the Republican Party are promoting policies that insist we continue the birth regardless of the circumstances. Meanwhile, women have no voice in the enactment. The major advocates such as Right to Life and the National Organization of Woman are busy with their own agendas with complete disregard for the individuals faced with these decisions.

Women should be encouraged to join any party they choose. I suggest that all women be part of a strategically formed alliance in order to maintain sufficient power and respect and to be invited to the negotiating table when sensitive public-policy issues are discussed. Women should be able to discuss issues, along with business chambers of commerce, institutions, industrial complexes, foundations, major advocates and the two major parties, Democrats and Republicans.

JOYCE M. PHILLIPS North Little Rock

Editorial, Pages 15 on 02/04/2014

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